Microorganisms, including various types of bacteria, can pose a variety of health risks to both humans and animals. For example, in excess of 2 million people per year in the United States become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance can lead to an increase in healthcare costs, increased mortality in adults, children, and infants, and is an ever-increasing problem. One line of defense against bacterial infections in general includes careful hand washing, cleaning surfaces where bacterial can reside, and the like. Such measures, however, can be difficult to implement due to inconsistency in cleaning, as well as individual choice regarding had washing.
Further, surfaces of objects that retain fluids can harbor, not only a greater number of a given microorganism, but can also provide an environment for a wider diversity of microorganisms. Additionally, such fluid environments can concentrate biological materials usable as energy sources by microorganisms, thus further accelerating the growth of potentially harmful species.